China’s own Loch Ness monsters

Normally, when we imagine searching online for information on lake monsters, we expect to be forwarded to sketchy Geocities-esque websites ran by 40-year-old men from their parents’ basement. So we were a bit surprised to find that the latest update on China’s lake monsters has been posted on People’s Daily Online. Not that we don’t think People’s Daily doesn’t fit the above description, it’s just that we were surprised to find out China had such a vibrant lake monster conspiracy culture.Still, while we were never really lake monster believers to begin with, some of the monsters on this list have left us extra skeptical. Without further adieu, China’s top five lake monsters: 1. Monster of Lake Tianchi, Jilin ProvinceAccording to People’s Daily, this picture was taken when “Two black-colored, unidentified animals were spotted by over 100 tourists in Lake Tianchi, northeast China’s Jilin Province on August 19, 2007.”Over 100 tourists saw these animals, and the best picture they got was a bunch of fog covering a dark area in a lake? We were at least a little inclined to believe this sighting because of its more recent timing, until we found out that it’s probably just a mutated North Korean trout. 2. Monster of Qinghai Lake, Qinghai ProvinceThe only explanation People’s Daily has for this picture is “The mo[n]ster in Qinghai Lake looks like a dragon.” Uh…maybe we missed something here. If this is an actual picture of the monster, sign us up for the fan club. But something tells us there’s something a little off. Still, we’ll withhold our judgment on this monster until they can show us some better (read: real) pictures.

3. Monster of Kanas Lake, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous RegionThis is either a picture of the Kanas Lake monster or Haibao swimming in a red one-piece. Our bet is on Haibao.Though there are actually some decent videos of the Kanas Lake monster. Real or not? You decide.

4. Monster of Lake Changtan, Shennongjia, Hubei ProvincePeople’s Daily doesn’t have any pictures of this monster and there aren’t many out there, but we were intrigued by their description of the monster as collected from eyewitnesses: “grey skin, oblate head, giant eyes and five toes on the forelimb.” So if you happen to see a monster with six toes, keep looking, because it clearly doesn’t fit the description.It’s also quite possible that someone just made up this lake monster story after the Yeti sightings made the area more popular. The only thing they’re sighting is UFO/monster enthusiasts (and their wallets). 5. Monster of Wenbu Lake, Tibet Autonomous RegionOnce again, no proof here. We do sympathize with this monster, though, as it was apparently blamed for the disappearance of a yak and a villager after being spotted by party officials back in 1980. Leave Scapegoat Nessie alone!For more on the search for the Kanas Lake monster, as well as other lake monsters, click here.